Aerial banner



2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS MLLl/Nf 4. fio/m/wvon C4020 5. 6/455??- W. A.BOHANNON ET AL AERIAL BANNER Filed June 29, 1953 June 19, 1934;

u ATrbRNEY June 19, 1934. w. A. BOHANNON El AL AERIAL BANNER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1933 INVENTO 5 W/LLMM fiol/mm/o/l/ C401?5. Ga a/e7 ATTORNEY Patented June 19, 1934 AERIAL BANNER William A.Bohannon, Mineola, and Clara B.

Gilbert, New York, N. Y. 7

Application June 29, 1933, Serial No. 678,154

9 Claims. (01. 40-127) Our invention relates to aerial advertisingdevices, and is more particularly concerned with banners or the likeadapted to be towed by aircraft.

"5 One object of the invention is to provide an aerial banner which isadapted to be towed and flown in a generally vertical plane, and inwhich whipping, ripple, oscillation and drag are reduced to an absoluteminimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide an aerial banner whichis made up of a plurality of interchangeable panels or sections, theinterchangeable panels, in each instance, comprising separable panelsheets arranged back to back, and

5 the panel sheets, in each instance, having indicated thereon one ormore letters or other symbols which in the aggregate portray anadvertising message or sign.

A further object of the invention is to so interconnect the severalpanels and panel sheets as to admit of the banner being dismantled orknocked down; the sign, in its assembled condition, being clearlyreadable, without distortion, from either side of the banner.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the banner, as anintegral part thereof, one or more wind sacks or drag devices, thedevices, in each instance,- being intersected vertically by the rearmostbanner section, and the banner,

at its trailingedge, being effectively stabilized by and as a result ofthe air reactions induced through the wind sack disposition.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the banner a towingbridle which, in and of itself, and by reason of its surface area, lendsto the banner improved stability and steadiness in flight,

A still further object of the invention is to provide for the banner afabric towing bridle which is lighter, stronger, neater in appearance,

' and less resistant than the open type rope bridle heretofore more orless extensively used.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like orcorresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the banner;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, taken from the opposite side;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the rear or wind sack banner; I

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlargedside elevation of the towing. bridle;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the details ofconstruction of one of the panel,

j V M Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the combined clamping andspreader bars; and i Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a modified form oftowing bridle.

In the embodiment of the invention selecte for illustration, an aerialbanner comprisingga plurality of detachable panels is shown. Except 6.5for the bridle panel 10 and the drag panel 11, the panels are freelyinterchangeable and the length of the banner is wholly dependent uponthe length and nature of the message which it is desired to display.Said interchangeable panels are designated as 12 and a greater or lessnumber than the number shown can be used. 7

The panels 12 are generally similar in construc-; tion. Unlike thepanels 10 and 11, the panels'12 comprise separable panel sheets 12 and12" disposed back to back and having indicated on their outer surfacesthe letters, numerals or other symbols 13 which go to make up the sign.Said; letters or other symbols are preferably stenciled on the fabric ofthe sheets, although other means, 8.0-. maybe employed to effect suchshowing.

Being interchangeable, any word or combination of words may be spelledout through a proper. selection of panel sheets. For instance, there isshown in Figs. 1 and 2 a banner in which the hyphenated word Sky-Ads isdisplayed."- Byselecting panel sheets depicting the letters com prisingsaid word, andarranging said sheets back to back in proper relation,said word ismade legible and clearly readable (without distortion) fromeither side of the,banner. On one side, the panel-sheet depicting thefirst letter of the word is placed adjacent to the bridle panel 10,whereas on the opposite side, the corresponding sheet is placed nextadjacent to the drag panel 11. 95. In other words, the .sign, viewedfrom one side of the banner, reads from front to rear, whereas onitsopposite side the reading isreversed; For convenience, but a singleletter or symbol 13 is depicted on each panel sheet so that any word 10or combination of words may be properly assembled.

The means employed for detachably fastening the panel 10 to the forwardpanel 12, the panels 12 to eachother, and the rear panel 12 tothe rearpanel 11, is in each instance identical. Said means comprises aplurality ofpairsof metal strips 14 which function as clamps and also asspreader bars. The strips 14 shown are of channel section, are disposedback to back, and are 1 10 held together, with the overlapping paneledges clamped therebetween, by bolts 15 or other quick detachablefastening devices. To separate the panels it is only necessary towithdraw the clamping bolts and remove the strips comprising therespective pairs of clamping devices. Eyes or holes (not shown), throughwhich the bolts extend, are formed in the edges of the panels. Ifdesired, the overlapping edges of the several panels may beappropriately re-enforced, as indicated at 16, the re-enforcement, byits engagement with the opposite longitudinal edges of the clampingstrips, preventing said panels or panel sheets from being pulled apart.The clamping strips, moreover, by reason of their channel section, lendtransverse stiffness and rigidity to the banner at intervals of spacealong its length.

Unlike the interchangeable panels 12, the panels 10 and 11 consist ofbut one sheet of fabric. Viewed from the side, the panel 10 is ofgenerally triangular shape. At its forward or apex end it is providedwith a tow ring 17 through which suitable re-enforcing tapes 18 arepassed. Said tapes or strips 18 extend along both edges of the bridlesheet, as well as along its longitudinal center line. They re-enforcethe bridle in the vicinity of its lines of maximum towing stress, and atthe same time distribute such stress equally throughout the width of thebanner. Preferably said tapes lie fiat against both faces of the bridlesheet and thus offer a minimum of drag. The tow line 19, which isfastened at one end to the tow ring 17, is fastened at its opposite endto the aircraft (not shown) behind which the banner is adapted to betowed. Due to its relatively smooth and large surface area, the bridle10 gives to the banner improved stability and steadiness in night.

The drag panel 11 is in effect a banner rudder. The wind sacks 20, ofwhich there are two or more, are so relatively arranged as to extendout,

symmetrically, one above the other, from opposite sides of the panelsheet. In other words, the panel sheet, which is longer than the windsacks, intersects said sacks and the banner, at its trailing portion, iseffectively stabilized by and as a result of the air reaction inducedthrough the wind sack arrangement. The "sacks, it will be noted,are'openat their opposite ends and i are of generally frusto-conicalform, with the smaller cone ends directed rearwardly. From said sacksthe air emerges with equal force on opposite sides of the panel sheet.In this way, the objectionable oscillation and whipping action'generallyinduced at the trailing edge of the banner is wholly and completelyeliminated.

The means for mounting or fastening the sacks to the drag panel sheetcomprises fore and aft substantially semi-circular hoops or bands 21 and2 2. The forward bands 21 are fastened to the panel sheet as indicatedat 23, andare re-enforced'or braced at their outer extremities bysuitabledrag braces 25 carried across the leading edge of the dragpanel. The rear or smaller bands22 are similarly fastened to the panelsheet as at'25 and may be, if desired, adjusted vertically to vary theangular setting of the sacks and hence the resulting lift. I r

In the modification of Fig. 9, a different type of towing bridle isshown. Instead of the flat sheet type, the bridle is open, as it were;and generally resembles the rope type" bridle heretofore employed. Thetow line 30 of the bridle'is fastened to the leading edge spreader baror clamp 31 at its upper end. To said line there is clamped anadjustable fitting 32 from which a pulley 33 is hung. Over said pulley abridle line 34 is passed. By fastening the opposite ends of the bridleline to the leading edge of the banner at an intermediate point and atits lower forward edge, respectively, the towing stresses are equalized,and the banner made to ride in the air stream at the selected or desiredangle. Equalization of towing stresses, however, is in this way obtainedat a sacrifice .of stability, lightness and strength.

A banner constructed as herein set forth is a distinct improvement overpreviously existing devices. It is possessed of longer life due to thefact that all panels are kept constantly in tension, thereby lesseningripple and whip. It is clearly readable from either side and anyselected color combination can be employed. It offers less resistance onthe towing aircraft, due to the fact that the air flow over the banneris smooth and unobstructed. And last, but not least, it is markedlyadvantageous in that its letter panels are I instantly interchangeable,thus permitting of the uniform display of any two of a variety ofmessages, the background of which is unaffected by changing skies.

While we have described our invention in detail in its present preferredembodiment, it-will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding our invention, that various changes and modifications maybemade therein without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. We aimin the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes; I

What is claimed is:

1. In an aerial banner, a display sheet; a bridle panel of generallytriangular section having its apex end directed forwardly, means-fordetachably fastening said bridle panelto said displaysheet, a tow linefastened to said bridle'panel at said apex, and means for re-enforcingsaid bridle lines'in parallelism with the lines of maximum towingstress.

2. In a knock-down aerial banner, aplurality of separately formedgenerally similar flexible panels, said panels being interchangeable asto position and adapted, when assembled, to trail in the air stream onebehind another, means extending crosswise of the banner for spreadingits opposite longitudinal edges apart as well as for detachablyfastening adjacent panelstogether, and air resistant means fastened tothe banner and adapted to exert a drag force thereon tending to keepsaid connected panels and hence the banner taut during flight. 3. In aknock-down aerial banner, a plurality of separately formed generallysimilar panels having reenforced fore and aft edges,- said panels beinginterchangeable as to position and adapted, when assembled, to trail inthe air stream one be hind another with the reenforced edges of adjacentpanels disposed in overlapping relation} means extending crosswise theoverlapping edges of adjacent panels for detachablyfastening said panelcarried longitudinally of its length along panels together, and airresistant means fastened of "separately formed generally similar panels,

said panels being interchangeable-as to position and'adapted, whenassembled, to trail in the air stream one behind another, meansextending crosswise of the banner for detachably clamping adjacentpanels together, said means providing for said banner a plurality oftransverse spreader bars whereby the opposite longitudinal edges of thebanner are reenforced against collapse, and air resistant means fastenedto the banner and adapted to exert a drag force thereon tending to keepsaid connected panels and hence the banner taut during flight.

5. The combination, in a knock-down aerial banner, of a plurality ofseparately formed generally similar panels each comprising separatecoextensive panel sheets of flexible material arranged back to back,said panel sheets and panels being interchangeable as to position, andthe panels, when assembled, being adapted to trail in the air stream onebehind another, means for detachably fastening the panel sheetscomprising adjacent panels and hence adjacent panels together, and airresistant means fastened to the banner and adapted to exert a drag forcethereon tending to keep said connected panels and hence the banner tautduring flight.

6. The combination, in a knock-down aerial banner, of a plurality offlexible panel sheets arranged in pairs back to back and havingindicated thereon, each upon its outer surface, a sign or other symbol,said sign or other symbol being readable from either side of the banner,the pairs of panel sheets, in each instance, constituting a panel, andthe panels, in each instance, being disposed one behind another to trailin the air stream with the edges of adjacent panels disposed inoverlapping relation, means extending crosswise the banner along theoverlapping edges of adjacent panels adapted to detachably fasten saidpanel sheets and hence said panels together, and air resistant meansfastened to the banner and adapted to exert a drag force thereon tendingto keep said connected panels and hence the banner taut during flight.

"I. The combination, in a knock-down aerial banner, of a plurality offlexible panel sheets arranged in pairs back to back and havingindicated thereon, each upon its outer surface, a sign or other symbol,said sign or other symbol being readable from either side of the banner,the pairs of panel sheets, in each instance, constituting a panel, andthe panels, in each instance, being disposed one behind another to trailin the air stream, means extending crosswise of the banner adapted todetachably fasten said panel sheets and hence said panels together, andair resistance means fastened to the banner and adapted to exert a dragforce thereon tending to keep said connected panels and hence the bannertaut during flight.

8. In a knock-down aerial banner, a plurality of separately formedgenerally similar flexible panels, said panels being interchangeable asto position and adapted, when assembled, to trail in the air stream onebehind another, air resistant means fastened to the banner and adaptedto exert a drag force thereon tending to keep the assembled panels andhence the flexible banner taut, and a fastening means for detachablyuniting adjacent panels, said means comprising opposed clamp barsbetween which the edges of adjacent panels are adapted to be firmlyclamped.

9. In a knock-down aerial banner, a plurality of separately formedgenerally similar flexible panels, said panels being interchangeable asto position and adapted, when assembled, to trail in the air stream onebehind another, means reenforcing the opposite transverse edges ofadjacent panels, air resistant means fastened to the banner and adaptedto exert a drag force thereon tending to keep the assembled panels andhence the flexible banner taut, and. a fastening means for detachablyuniting adjacent panels, said means comprising opposed clamp barsbetween which the re-enforced edges of adjacent panels are adapted to befirmly clamped, the re-enforcing means and the clamping bars jointlyproviding at each panel joint a spreader means tending to re-enforce theopposite longitudinal edges of the banner against collapse.

WILLIAM A. BOHANNON. CLARA B. GILBERT.

